Briggs Orsbon, a 2011 Capital One Academic All-American who was a senior member of the Ball State football team last fall, has received an NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship.

Orsbon, who owns a 4.0 grade-point average on Ball State's 4.0 scale as a risk management and finance major, becomes the ninth football student-athlete in Ball State history to receive an NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship. He is expected to graduate from Ball State after spring semester.

"It is great to see Briggs continue to receive postseason awards for his success in the classroom and on the field," Ball State head coach Pete Lembo says. "It was an honor to serve as his coach this past year. I am sure he will stay connected to the football program as an alum."

The NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship was created in 1964 to promote and encourage postgraduate education by rewarding the Association's most accomplished student-athletes through their participation in NCAA championship and/or emerging sports. Athletics and academic achievements, as well as campus involvement, community service, volunteer activities and demonstrated leadership, are evaluated. An equitable approach is employed in reviewing each applicant's nomination form to provide opportunity to all student-athlete nominees to receive the postgraduate award, regardless of sport, division, gender or race. In maintaining the highest broad-based standards in the selection process, the program aims to reward those individuals whose dedication and effort are reflective of those characteristics necessary to succeed and thrive through postgraduate study in an accredited graduate degree program.

Orsbon was a two-time Capital One Academic All-District selection and a three-time All-Mid-American Conference choice, while earning All-MAC Second Team honors in 2011. A team captain and co-recipient of the John Magnabosco Award as Ball State's Most Valuable Player, Orsbon started his 40th straight game in the 2011 season finale and played in all 50 games in his career. With his five catches in Ball State's game at Northern Illinois in 2011, Orsbon became only the second player in Ball State history to tally 200 or more receptions in a career. He completed his career with 213 receptions to rank second all-time in Ball State history. Orsbon completed his career with 2,218 receiving yards to rank fifth all-time at Ball State. He completed his career with 11 touchdown catches to rank 11th all-time at Ball State.